International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet), in collaboration with Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), Amsterdam, National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Nigeria, and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations organized a workshop on ‘Enhancing Participation in the Value Chain and Establishing Links to the Market for Tropical Fruit Smallholders in Africa’ from 28-29 April 2011 at Hotel Bon Voyage, Lagos, Nigeria.
A total of 19 senior Agriculture Officers and researchers from 11 African countries participated in the workshop. The countries represented were Benin, Burkino Faso, Cote D’voire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.
The workshop was facilitated by experts from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Trade Center, Geneva (ITC), Geneva, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Miami (IICA, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan (IITA), International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, (ICIPE), National Horticulture Research Institute, Ibadan (NiHort) and International Tropical Fruits Network(TFNET).
The main objectives of the workshop were to:
• Assess issues and challenges in linking tropical fruit growers to the market for participating countries.
• Provide information to participants on the importance of the smallholder integration along the tropical fruit value chain.
• To strengthen the capacity of participants on the need to address issues dealing with pest and disease management particularly fruit flies management, quality assurance, post harvest losses, food safety, Sanitary and phytosanitary regulations (SPS) and Good Agricultural Practices in the marketing of tropical fruits.
• Develop a strategy and action plan to enhance the marketing of tropical fruits by small growers.
• To set up a TFNet African network, involving all the countries attending the workshop.
The two day workshop involved one day of presentations by the resource persons and group discussions on the second day. The presentations were as follows:
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Paper 1: Smallholder Inclusion in Modern Fruit & Vegetable Supply Chains – Observed Pathways and Operational Suggestions
– Federica Angelucci, FAO |
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Paper 2: Ensuring Smallholders Participation in Designing and Implementing Value Chain Development
– Hernan Manson, ITC |
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Paper 3: Smallholder integration into the tropical fruits value chain – the African experience
– Nihort, Nigeria |
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Paper 4: International Market Standards and Opportunities for the Tropical Fruits
– Frank Lam, IICA |
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Paper 5: Sustainable Fruit Fly Management Practices at the Farm Level
– Dr. Samira, ICIPE |
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Paper 6: Smallholder Integration in the Tropical Fruit Value Chain – Some Examples from Asia
– Yacob Ahmad, TFNet |
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The group discussion focussed on the following themes:
• A revision of a fruit fly project proposal by IITA and ICIPE
• Value chain enhancement through smallholder participation and market access in the African context
• Project proposals for TFNet in their role to enhance tropical fruit value chains in Africa
The groups discussed on the way forward for a fruit fly project that could be implemented in East and West Africa. This includes the objectives, project components, activities and implementation plan.
There was much discussion on the various factors affecting smallholders participation in the tropical fruit value chain and market access, including production techniques and practices, pre and post harvest management and group organisations. Interventions required to improve farmers’ participation in decision making for increasing the marketability of smallholders fruit produce were also discussed.
Project proposals relevant to the role of TFNet in improving the tropical fruit situation through the value chain approach in Africa was also deliberated on .
Outcome of the workshop:
• A revision paper of the African fruit fly project was presented to be endorsed at the 5 th Inter Governmental Group Session on Banana and Tropical Fruits in Yaounde, Cameroon on 4 May 2011.
• Project proposal on establishment of tropical fruit information system for collection and dissemination of market prices, production, supply and demand in Africa
• Project proposal on strengthening of farmers organization in the tropical fruit value chain through the participatory approach
The establishment of an African Tropical Fruit Network, which was presented to the 5 th Inter Governmental Group Session on Banana and Tropical Fruits in Yaounde, Cameroon on 4 May 2011.
Participants of the workshop in Lagos, Nigeria
A discussion group in progress
Participants and Speakers of the workshop on ‘Enhancing Participation in the Value Chain and Establishing Links to the Market for Tropical Fruit Smallholders in Africa’